Touring The Guestroom

In-room computers, in-room shopping? HOTELS has seen the future of guest services. Now, see for yourself.

The burgeoning technology age, coupled with a profitable economic climate, is fueling an industrywide technological revolution. In the battle to become "the hostess with the mostest," hotel companies are developing a compendium of in-room business and entertainment systems to meet the needs of even the most savvy travelers.

On the cutting edge of these electronic offerings are in-room computing and shopping services. Many hoteliers say such systems are part of what the future holds for the industry, and some of them have already introduced them in their hotels.

Guests at the Peninsula Group's Kowloon Hotel in Hong Kong are traversing the frontier of in-room business and entertainment services with the hotel's interactive "telecentre." It consists of a multi-system television set linked to a central computer. Serving as an in-room PC, the system provides a wide range of electronic services designed for the business traveler.

Telecentre's features include: word-processing and spreadsheet applications, tourism and shopping information, airline schedules, incoming messages, hotel billing status, global stock reports, bio-rhythm charts, weather information, a world-time clock, exchange rates and video games. Technological upgrades to the telecentre resulted in additional in-room systems, including a combination fax/printer, voice mail with remote retrieval functions, an external audio and video input for guest video cameras and head-set outlets for watching television or listening to music without disturbing other guests.

The other hotel company currently offering in-room computers, without having to request them, is Hilton Hotels Corp. The Beverly Hills, California-based company is testing its Hilton “Smart desk” in 40 guest rooms at four properties.

As perhaps the most comprehensive in-room comput­ing system available, Smart-Desk features a full-sized Hewlett Packard desktop computer with a color monitor, fax modem and HP Office Jet combination printer/fax/copier. Installed on the computer is a variety of popular software applications including Internet access.

SmartDesk was designed around the belief that people are more productive in their rooms than in business centers, say Bob Dirks, Hilton's senior vice president of marketing.

Rivaling The Kowloon Hotel's telecentre for in-room entertainment services is the ANA Hotel Singapore's Guest-serve Interactive System.

Guestserve is channelled through in-room televisions and operates through a user-friendly graphical user interface, The system enables guests to do the usual, such as order movies and room-service, access information about local attractions and shopping, view messages and review guest folios. But Guestserve also allows guests to do the unusual.

Guestserve takes interactive television a step further by offering in-room shopping. Through "The Traveler's Gallery" guests can purchase souvenirs from an on-screen catalogue featuring items from traditional distributors, duty-free shops and catalogue companies. With a click of the remote, guests send order messages to a central warehouse, where products are prepared and delivered by the following morning. Purchases are charged automatically to the guest's hotel bill.

Basic essentials, such as shaving cream and toothpaste, also can be order through the Guestserve system. These orders are picked up and delivered immediately by the concierge. The ANA also is working on a guest satisfaction and response system whereby management will be alerted instantly to any guest requests or problems.

'Technology will add a new dimension to the way we do business," says Amy Ang, public relations manager for the ANA Hotel. "And how we use it will determine our edge in our competitive environment."

Exercise 10. Translate into English:

1. Услугой называется целесообразная производственная деятельность, главной особенностью которой является совпадение процессов производства реализации и потребления во времени и пространстве.

2. Туристские услуги представляют крупный сегмент сферы услуг, обеспечивающих удовлетворение потребностей людей и реализацию их деятельности в свободное время: отдых, развлечения, путешествия.

3. Удовлетворение потребностей и спроса на туризм предполагает наличие множества туристских услуг.

4. Потребление нематериальных туристских услуг происходит исключительно в месте, где они произведены и не могут быть транспортированы к потребителю.

5. Туристский центр - это место отдыха туриста, включающее все его рекреационные возможности: природные, культурно-исторические, экологические, этнические, социально-демографические, инфраструктурные.

6. Дополнительные услуги не входят в стоимость путевки. К ним относятся: прокат, телефон, бытовое обслуживание, почта, обмен валюты, дополнительное питание, общественный транспорт, хранение вещей, развлечения, резервирование мест, коммерческое телевидение, видео, приобретение билетов, мини-бар и др.

7. Услуги питания классифицируются, прежде всего, по количеству приемов пищи в течении одного дня обслуживания и бывают следующих видов: завтрак — одноразовое питание; полупансион — двухразовое питание, обычно это завтрак и ужин, реже завтрак и обед; полный пансион- трехразовое питание.

8. Трансфер - доставка туриста от места прибытия, расположенного в стране пребывания (аэропорт, вокзал, гавань) к месту размещения (отель), где они будут проживать и обратно.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16